VINES, RICHARD, 1600-1656,
puritan divine, was born at Blaston, Leicestershire about 1600. He was
educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1622,
M.A. 1627. He was an excellent Greek scholar. About 1624 he became schoolmaster
at Hinkley, Leicestershire, where John Cleveland the cavalier poet was
among his scholars, and owed much to his training. On the death of James
Cranford (1627) he was presented to the rectory of Weddington, Warwickshire,
and instituted on 11th March 1627-28.

In 1630 he was presented
by William Purefoy to the neighbouring rectory of Caldecote, was instituted
10th June, and held both livings worth together £801 a year; but
the parish register at Hinkley shows that he was still living there in
1640. Having gifts as a preacher he conducted a weekly lecture at Nuneaton,
which was largely attended and attracted hearers from distant places, among
them being Samuel Clarke (1593-1683) afterwards his intimate friend.

In 1642 he was presented
for Warwickshire as one of the “orthodox divines” to be consulted by Parliament
“touching the reformation of church government and liturgie”. He preached
a fast sermon before the House of Commons 30th November 1642 which made
a great impression. Owing to the disturbed nature of his county, he took
refuge in Coventry early in 1643, with other puritans, and took part in
the daily lecture there. Nominated a member of the Westminster assembly
by the ordinance of 12th June 1643, he went up to London, and was placed
in the rectory of St Clement Danes, vacant by the sequestration of Richard
Dukeson, D.D. (died 17 September 1678 aged 77). Robert Devereux, third
earl of Essex was his parishioner. On 18th March 1643-44 he was made, against
his wishes, Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, by the Earl of Manchester,
on the ejection of Benjamin Laney. He kept his place in the assembly, but
did good work in the College. He found it, according to Clarke, “very empty
of scholars and the buildings much out of order”, having been used as military
quarters; his reputation “quickly drew scholars” and he proved himself
a capable administrator and promoter of learning. In June 1644 he was invited
by the civic authorities to the vicarage of St Michaels, Coventry, but
declined. He was placed on the parliamentary “committee of accommodation”
(13th September 1644) and chosen chairman (20th September) of the acting
sub-committee; his defence of the validity of ordination by presbyters
(though he himself was episcopally ordained was much applauded by his own
party (Fuller). At the Uxbridge conference (30th January to 18th February
1645 he was one of the assisting divines. On 22nd May 1645 Essex presented
him to the rectory of Watton Hertfordshire when he resigned St Clements
Danes. He preached at Essex’s funeral 22nd October 1646.

In the Westminster assembly
Vines was placed on the committee (12th May 1645) for drafting the confession
of faith. He writes to Baxter that he “would not have much time spent in
a formula of doctrine or worship”, but was anxious for an accommodation
in church government. With Baxter he believed that the benefit of Christ’s
death extended to all mankind. He agreed with Baxter in objecting to lay
elders as church governors. He was one of the divines who took part in
the written discussion of episcopacy (September to November 1648) in the
Isle of Wight, intended to influence Charles I, and would have gone further
in concession to “the conscience of the king”, but that, as he explained
to Baxter, “parliament tied them up”. With Charles religious character
and ability in argument he was much impressed; the king for his part showed
that he thought highly of Vines’ powers. On the morning of Charles execution
he was one of the puritan divines who proffered services to the king.Refusing the “engagement”
of 1649 of allegiance to the existing government “without a king or House
of Lords”, he was ejected (October 1650) from the mastership of Pembroke
and from the rectory of Watton. The parishioners of St Lawrence Jewry immediately
called him to be their minister and he was allowed to hold the living;
the parishioners rebuilt the vicarage house for him at a cost of £500.
He was chosen also as one of the weekday lecturers at St Michaels, Cornhill.
Appointed on the committee to draw up (March 1654) “fundamentals in religion”
as a test for toleration, he seldom attended but supported Baxter in rejecting
Owens contention that knowledge of scriptures was essential to salvation,
as “neither a fundamental nor a truth”. A little later he was appointed
one of the local assistants for London to Cromwells “triers”.

Fuller describes him as a
workmanlike preacher, using “strong stitches”. His style is turgid. When
William Sancroft heard him at Cambridge in 1646, he read his sermon. His
preaching dealt little in polemics, except against the Baptists.

About a year before his death
he suffered acute pain in the head, and his sight suddenly failed him.
Almost blind his health gave way and his spirits drooped; but he persevered
in preaching, though “his speech grew very low”. He died on February 4th
1655-56. He was buried on 7th February in the church of St Lawrence Jewry,
Thomas Jacombe, preaching the funeral sermon; his monument perished
in the fire of 1666 (Great Fire of London).

Clarke prints (from Jacombe)
a selection of seven elegies and an anagram to his memory; the title “our
English Luther” was given him by Robert Wild/e; Matthew Poole, a competent
judge, testifies to his command of learning, unrivalled among divines of
his school, which made him a “vast library”. Though ranking as a presbyterian,
his own views were in accord with Usshers scheme for a “modified episcopacy”.
“Such who charged him with covetousness”, says Fuller, “are confuted with
the small estate he left to his wife and children”. He married, while at
Hinkley, Katherine, daughter of Humphrey Adderley of Weddington, patron
of the living.

Vines published only single
sermons on state or civic occasions, including the funeral sermon for Essex,
but after his death many of his works were printed.

Note: The will of Katherine
Vines dated 11th October 1661, mentions her brother John Adderley, sisters
Mary, Hanna and Abigail, son-in-law John (Walter, Walton ...?), cousins
Elizabeth White? and Edward White?, grandchildren and others. The will
appointed son-in-law Richard (Walter, Walton ...?) as sole executor.The will is quite difficult
to read but no sons seem to be mentioned, so it appears that this line
of Vines ended with the Rev Richard.

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See St
Lawrence Jewry church where Richard Vines was buried. This famous and historical church was damaged
by the Great Fire of London 1666 and rebuilt by Christopher Wren. It was
also damaged by a German bomb in 1940. Now noted for itsbell ringing recitals.